DUBAI 26 August 2017: A jobless Pakistani – with fugitives – allegedly conned an American tenant of Dh5,900 by claiming ownership of a flat in Discovery Garden, the Dubai Criminal Court heard.
On January 24, KD, 27, found a flat for rent on the internet and she contacted the given number.
The advertiser, MF, asked her to view the flat. After that she informed him that she agreed to rent the flat for Dh60,000 a year.
On the following day, he met her and handed her a photocopy of the flat’s ownership certificate which stated that the owner was FT.
She paid him Dh5,900 and he issued her a receipt which he signed in front of her. After he disappeared, the tenant informed the police.
Police investigated the complaints and found other similar complaints filed by people duped during the same period.
One of the victims supplied the police with a picture of MF’s friend.
Police reached to witness WS, 27, who works in a rent-a-car company.
The witness told the police that MD, his wife and another man used to rent cars. He also informed that the trio swindled people.
“They asked me to join them in their swindling operations, but I refused. I told them that I have a job, I earn salary and I do not need to swindle people,” the witness told the police.
Wife Involved
He said that MF’s wife supplied her husband and his friend with flats to let and they forged the required documents to convince flat seekers that they owned them.
The witness informed the police that he used to meet with them in a flat rented by MF’s friend.
Police found that MF used different mobile numbers.
Police reviewed camera footage from the building where the trio were meeting and MF was captured in these recordings.
Police arrested MF while his wife and friend are still at large.
MF admitted to committing 10 crimes after learning about flats for rent from the internet and newspapers.
The American victim recognized MF who took money from her and issued her the receipt.
Land Department reported that the photocopy of the ownership of the flat subject of this case was forged.
The court will give verdict on August 27.
By Lolyana Zaki